By Tom Bandy
Baby Boomers (present age 60 – 78) represent a large portion of the population in Maryland and Delaware, and an even larger portion of UMC participants. However, Baby Boomer church expectations are not all alike. Consider just some of the top boomer lifestyle segments:
| Baltimore-Washington | Peninsula-Delaware | |||
| Region | UMC | Region | UMC | |
| Group C Booming with Confidence | ||||
| C11 Sophisticated City Dwellers | 3.1% | 5.1% | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| C12 Golf Carts and Gourmets | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2.1% | 2.9% |
| C13 Philanthropic Sophisticates | 7.8% | 14.6% | 3.1% | 2.3% |
| C14 Boomers and Boomerangs | 1.8% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Total | 12.9% | 22.5% | 11.8% | 12.1% |
| Group E Thriving Boomers | ||||
| E19 Consummate Consumers | 2.2% | 1.4% | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| E20 No Place Like Home | 1.5% | 1.6% | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| E21 Unspoiled splendor | 1.3% | 3.6% | 4.3% | 7.2% |
| Total | 5.0% | 5.6% | 8.8% | 8.0% |
You can find more information about ministry expectations for each group and segment in the MissionImpact Guide on the MissionInsite website. (Click “Helps” on bottom task bar, select MissionImpact Guide, and print the relevant commentaries from the drop-down menu).
Group C:
Group C Booming with Confidence are prosperous established couples in peak earning years living in suburban homes while maintaining urban connections. They think of church in much the same was as a service club or non-profit. It’s the right thing to do! They respect professionals but like to have authority managing the “business”. They quest for programming quality. They are increasingly ambivalent toward organized religion and apt to blend spiritualities.
Preaching Points
They are motivated to connect with church and explore spirituality because they often feel lost (unfulfilled by their careers), or lonely (estrangements in marriage and family), or discarded (no longer needed or appreciated). They want preaching to be uplifting, help them rediscover purpose and direction in life, and reassure them that they are acceptable to God. Worship is a blend of education and inspiration that results in outreach.
Preaching Topics
They tend to be interested in personal morality, seeking guidance to make hard, personal choices, and in social ethics, seeking perspective on complex issues. They want to leave a positive legacy and make difference in society. Sermon topics tend to be situational, starting with a key question that is currently unsettling their lives and gaining insight from a variety of biblical and cultural sources. Where is the Holy Spirit leading them?
Preaching Success
Look for smiles and enthusiasm as people leave worship. People linger during refreshments and there may be conversation (sometimes animated) about moral and ethical insights from the sermon. Some will later join book or bible discussion groups. More people volunteer for task groups or oversight committees and increase contributions to designated missions. Members may join social service groups or offer board leadership to non-profits.
Group E:
Group E Thriving Boomers are upper-middle-class couples living comfortable lives in more distant suburbs and towns while building town and country connections. They share the quest for quality and ethical interests of their Group C counterparts … but tend be more conflicted between personal satisfaction and social service. They have a strong history of church involvement and greater denominational loyalty. Religion is “reasonable”, “generous”, and “moderate”.
Preaching Points
Their spirituality is often motivated by feelings of failure or a sense of personal or relational flaws, and they may be anxious about aging, health, and death. They want to experience feelings of family unity. Anxious about meaninglessness, they seek coherence in history, trust in relationships, and hope for the future. Worship is a blend of education and caregiving that results in healing.
Preaching Topics
Sermon topics tend to be more intimate, and heart felt. They wrestle with the contradiction between affluence and the biblical call for simplicity. They may be burdened by regrets and appreciate coaching for reconciliation and forgiveness. They seek help rethinking the promises of God amid economic and social instability. They crave serenity and harmony with neighbors and nature. Where is Christ amid the chaos?
Preaching Success
Anticipate lingering conversations as people exit the church, occasional emotion, and comments about how personally relevant the sermon was. People linger during refreshments to connect with friends, share stories, or express anxiety about world events. Some will later join bible study groups, small affinity groups, or large fellowship groups. Members may volunteer for hands-on local service projects that produce visible results.
Even within these lifestyle groups you will see significant diversity in religious expectations between lifestyle segments.
For example, “great preaching” among C13 Philanthropic Sophisticates is often associated with rhetorical skill, elevated academic research, and integration with other public sector expertise. “Great preaching” means powerful pulpits. But “great preaching” among C11 Sophisticated City Dwellers is often associated with straightforward language, lifestyle relevance, and awareness of local events. “Great preaching” means personal presence.
Or for example, “great preaching” among E21 Unspoiled Splendor is often associated with passionate conviction, openness to mystery, and the felt presence of the Holy Spirit. “Great preaching” is connected to popular hymnology. But “great preaching” among E20 No Place Like Home is often associated with personal piety, wisdom based on lifelong experience, and quiet confidence. “Great preaching” is connected to household devotion.
Even these descriptions are broad generalizations, and there are exceptions in every community and church context. Every preacher needs to listen to, and learn from, their congregation. But preachers and congregations need to broaden their awareness of diversity even within the same generations.
If you have questions or comments, you can schedule a conversation with me during “virtual office hours” the third Thursday of each month by CLICKING HERE.